Athletics Coaching Guide

This guide is designed to help you become a better Athletics coach.

These links lead you to detailed information on Athletics, including illustrations and video clips. Downloadable resources are also available at right.

The sport of athletics encourages athletes of all abilities and ages to compete at their optimum level. Through the track-and-field-based athletics training program, participants can develop total fitness to compete in any sport. As with all Special Olympics sports, athletics offers athletes the opportunity to learn through skill development and competitive settings and to be involved in large social settings.

In essence, success in athletics depends on the athlete's determination and practice habits. Yet merely by participating in an athletics training program, the athlete can learn:

There are many different skill levels demonstrated by Special Olympics athletes, and the coach has the responsibility of learning the skill level of each athlete. Using that knowledge, the coach takes the resources provided in this guide and adapts the information as it applies to each athlete. Levels from basic to advanced are accommodated in the guide, giving the coach a range of skills and drills to choose from. All information is a guideline, to be used by the coach in a way that works for his or her athletes. If a skill or drill looks too difficult, the coach can simply modify it as required to help the athletes learn and perform. Keep in mind that to help athletes improve and grow, it is good for the coach to challenge them by continually observing and assessing their skills, providing new techniques and drills and giving positive encouragement, regardless of their skill level.

Acknowledgements
Special Olympics wishes to thank the professionals, volunteers, coaches and athletes who helped in the production of the Athletics Coaching Guide. They have helped fulfill the mission of Special Olympics: to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people 8 years of age and older with intellectual disabilities (mental retardation), giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
 
Special Olympics welcomes your ideas and comments for future revisions of this guide. We apologize if, for any reason, an acknowledgement has been inadvertently omitted.
 
Contributing Authors
Suzie Bennett-Yeo, Special Olympics Australia
Venisha Bowler, Special Olympics, Inc.
Wanda S. Durden, Special Olympics, Inc.
Dave Lenox, Special Olympics, Inc.
Ryan Murphy, Special Olympics, Inc.
Karla Sirianni, Special Olympics, Inc.
Kelly Zackodnik, Special Olympics Canada

Special Thanks To the Following
for Your Support
Janusz Rozum, Special Olympics Poland
Tony Wayne, Special Olympics North Carolina
Paul Whichard, Special Olympics, Inc.
Special Olympics Canada
Brenda Hill, Coach

Video Featuring Athletes
from Special Olympics Canada
Fern Bremault
Chris Doty
Gino Lucarelli
Sarah McCarthy
Blayne Usselman

Special Olympics Virginia
Video Featuring Athletes from Special Olympics Virginia